Amid anticipation of the appointment of a new Chief of Defence Staff (CDS) soon, the tri-service Headquarters Integrated Defence Staff (HQ IDS) is likely to undergo restructuring to prepare for taking on additional duties when the Integrated Theatre Commands come into effect, News18 has learnt.
HQ IDS is the apex-level tri-service organisation responsible for higher defence management.
As per highly-placed defence sources, the Chief of Integrated Defence Staff to The Chairman Chiefs Of Staff Committee (CISC) had ordered a study to restructure HQ IDS last year. The study is being conducted by a group comprising senior officers of the defence services.
The idea behind the planned exercise, as per sources, is to ensure that the HQ IDS is prepared for additional responsibilities expected to come with the creation of the theatre commands and the Chiefs of Staff Committee (COSC) subsequently taking charge of their operations from the three service headquarters.
A top defence source told News18 that the CISC held a meeting in March to discuss the proposed changes that the HQ IDS may undergo.
“Comments of the service headquarters were also sought over the changes,” the source said, adding that this could include expanding the HQ IDS, with certain directorates under the defence services being transferred.
Sources said the restructuring exercise will also be in line with the continuing integration of the services in areas of intelligence, operations, logistics and long-term procurement plans.
One of the ideas initially proposed as part of the restructuring was that there should be two Vice CDS under the CDS — one would look after areas of intelligence, operations and logistics, and the other would be responsible for force structuring and capability development in line with the Atmanirbhar Bharat philosophy.
The contours of the restructured HQ IDS are yet to be finalised.
This is not the first move taken by the Indian defence establishment towards empowering the HQ IDS in line with the theaterisation process.
As reported by News18, in September last year, a fresh order on defence revenue procurements released by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh granted more financial powers of the CISC, in a move critical to the operations of the future integrated theatre commands.
The revised Delegation of Financial Powers to Defence Services (DFPDS-2021) had provided for over 500% jump (for certain schedules) in the financial powers of the CISC, which varies with different schedules of the IDS.
DELAY IN FINALISING STRUCTURE OF THEATRE COMMANDS
Driving the theaterisation process was among the top charters of the CDS and India’s first CDS General Bipin Rawat was actively driving this transition by overseeing a series of studies and simultaneous deliberations between the three services.
While the creation of the joint theatre commands was to take three to four years with four commanders-in-chief from the Army, Navy and Air Force first defining the organisational structure of the theatre commands and their composition, their structures were to be finalised by March-April this year.
With the sudden death of Gen Rawat in a helicopter crash last year and a delay in the appointment of the next CDS, a decision is yet to be taken.
Top officers of the services have, however, met twice this year in Jaipur and Lucknow to discuss their structure and other facets of their operations.
The Indian Army, Navy and Air Force currently have 17 commands together. The plans, at present, are to roll them into four integrated theatre commands — one maritime theatre command, one air defence command and the two land-based western and eastern theatre commands.
As per the current plans, the Army’s northern command and the AOC (J&K) of the IAF will be kept out of the theatre commands at present, keeping in mind the security implications.
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